Miner finds rare 29.6 carat blue diamond
Print Edition
A 29.6 carat blue diamond, one of the rarest and most coveted in the world with a possible price tag of tens of millions of dollars, has been discovered at a South African mine by Petra Diamonds.
The miner said the “exceptional” acorn-sized diamond, small enough to fit into the palm of a hand, was unearthed at the Cullinan mine near Pretoria.
The mine, owned by the firm since 2008, was also where the Cullinan Diamond was found in 1905 — described as the largest rough gem diamond ever recovered and weighing 3,106 carats.
Other notable diamonds found in the mine include a 25.5 carat Cullinan blue diamond, found in 2013 and sold for US$16.9 million, and a diamond found in 2008, known as the Star of Josephine, which was sold for US$9.49 million.
Chief Executive Johan Dippenaar said the latest blue diamond discovery could outstrip recent finds.
“By some margin ... this is probably the most significant stone we’ve ever, in terms of blue stones, recovered,” he said. “The stones in the last year or so are selling well above US$2 million per carat.”
Diamonds from both the Cullinan mine in South Africa and the Williamson facilities in Tanzania, both owned by Petra, are regarded as among the rarest and most valuable in the world.
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